Potatoes yahni (Greek potato stew)

A traditional Greek potato stew made with potatoes, celery, onion, garlic, and herbs cooked in a rich tomato and olive oil sauce. Kalamata olives are added for additional flavour and texture. Grab some bread and be sure to sop up the sauce of this rustic, humble and hearty Greek meal.

Raise your hand if you love potatoes! You there, in the back, holding a fist-full of French fries, I see you!  And I love you!  And, I too love potatoes.  Whether they are roasted in the oven, bathed in all sorts of beautiful Greek flavours, or boiled and mashed and then transformed into the very distinctive Greek garlic spread called skordalia, I adore them.  Potatoes are so versatile, so available, so economical, that it’s no wonder that the rustic cuisine of Greece has taken this common vegetable and made it the star of a stew which I know will find a happy place in your hearts and stomachs.

Why I love this recipe

Potatoes yahni is in a class of meals called lathera, typically vegetarian dishes where the ingredients are stewed in olive oil and tomato sauce.  These are meals where quality ingredients are key, because there are so few of them, and they are treated so simply. 

I can easily imagine village women gathering these simple vegetables from their gardens, picking their fresh herbs and then cooking it all slowly over an open fire while a loaf of fresh bread bakes in the outdoor wood-burning oven.  My mother remembers her mother doing just that, as potatoes yahni was a regular meal for her when she was young.  And no surprise; despite being simple, it is filling and hearty, perfect for feeding a hungry family.

The Greek potato stew is also gluten-free and vegan, making it perfect for period of Orthodox lent when observers are looking for simple but satisfying nistisima or lenten foods.

Key ingredients

Potatoes I prefer to use yellow flesh or Yukon Gold potatoes in this recipe. I find them so creamy and delicious, and they hold their shape well even after cooking in the stew. I peel them and cut them into bite size, or two bite pieces.

Olive oil I use Greek olive oil in all my cooking. It is delicious, fragrant and makes every recipe better!

Onion I use yellow onions here – they are easy to find, and cook up nicely.

Carrot I usually peel my carrots and cut them into equal size chunks.

Garlic When possible I purchase locally sourced garlic. Nothing compares to healthy garlic grown close to home.

Tomato sauce Usually I use my homemade tomato sauce, but when I don’t have any I buy a good quality passata.

Rosemary I usually put the entire sprig of rosemary in the pot. By the time the meal is cooked, the rosemary stem has separated from the rosemary leaves (are they even called leaves?), but I don’t mind that.

Oregano Dry Greek oregano is just fantastic!! I add it to everything I possibly can!

Bay leaf I like to add my bay leaf to the pot while I am sautéing the onion. I find that this is the best way to impart the flavour to the dish, as it flavours the oil.

Kalamata olives I love the added touch of the Kalamata olives and the saltiness and brininess that they bring to the recipe. So good!

Salt & pepper Basic seasonings that make every meal better!

How to make it

Step 1
In a large pot heat the olive oil and add the onion,  garlic, sprigs of fresh rosemary and bay leaves.  Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the onion is translucent.  Be careful not to burn the garlic.

Step 2
Add the rest of the ingredients to the pot except for the Kalamata olives and oregano. Add enough water to just cover the vegetables. Bring to a boil.

Step 3
Once it comes to a boil, lower the temperature and cook over medium heat with the pot covered for approximately 20 – 30 minutes. Check the potatoes for doneness by piercing them with a sharp knife.  The knife should slide into the potato easily.

Step 4
When the potatoes are cooked, add the Kalamata olives to the pot along with the oregano, and cook for an additional 5-10 minutes with the pot uncovered.

Step 5
Let cool a bit, off the heath, and serve warm with a loaf of fresh bread, perfect for soaking up the sauce.

Recipe substitutions

Instead of Kalamata olives, add capers to this meal. They too will offer a salty brininess that will be delicious!

Toss in some chopped celery, or diced leek for added veggies.

Cooking tips

The potatoes are the stars here so you must use the best quality potato you can find.  I always prefer the yellow-fleshed potatoes, however if you have another preference, or happen to have a bushel of some other type of potato on hand…go ahead and use that.  Your dish will still be delicious.

My parents always add pitted Kalamata olives to their potatoes yahni although they both admit that growing up, olives were never included.  I think that it’s a wonderful addition however; the brininess of the olives is perfect with the rest of the flavours. Having said that, finding pitted Kalamata olives is not always easy.   The good news is that pitting them yourself is. Most olives come with a slit in them. By pressing on your olive with the back of large knife (be careful) you can usually open the slit up just enough to easily pry the pit out.  And, if you tear open your olive in the process…it doesn’t matter one bit.

This is a perfectly vegan dish, making it perfect for those following a vegan diet and those who may be fasting during periods of Orthodox lent.  Having said that, if you are eating dairy, give potatoes yahni a try with a side of feta (and don’t forget the bread). You may hear angels sing.

Recipe variations

Growing up in a Greek home, rustic and humble meals were common. One way to make simple ingredients shine was to cook them as lathera. This is a Greek term that basically means that the ingredients of a dish are cooked in an olive oil and tomato sauce base. Lathera could be entirely vegetable based, like Greek okra stewed in tomato sauce (Bamies latheres me domata) and Greek green beans with potatoes, but can also contain meat, in dishes like Green beans baked with chicken and potatoes.

How to serve

Although not actually an ingredient for this recipe, another important piece to this recipe is bread.  Although you could, I would not recommend that you ever eat potatoes yahni (or any other lathero) without a few slices of fresh bread.  The sauce which will be left behind in your dish, tomato sauce mingled with olive oil and flavoured with veggies and herbs, is meant to be sopped up with as much bread as you need.  Trust me, this is not to be missed.

Storing & reheating

This lovely Greek potato stew can keep in the refrigerator for 3 – 5 days. Reheat it either in the microwave, or on the stovetop.

Related recipes

If you like this recipe, I think you will also love these other Greek potato recipes:

Spinach and potato stew (Σπανάκι με πατάτες) A classic dish that is delicious and easy to make.

Roasted lemon potatoes ( Πατάτες λεμονάτες στο φούρνου) Everyone’s favourite! These are the best Greek lemon potatoes.

Potato Salad (Πατατοσαλάτα) A lovely potato salad made without mayonnaise. So fresh tasting and full of flavour!

Video: Potatoes yahni

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